Why choosing a natural tree is better for forests, farmers, and the planet
Every December, millions of families face the same question: real tree or artificial? While artificial trees are marketed as convenient and reusable, the reality is more complex. When it comes to environmental impact, community support, and even holiday tradition, the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of choosing a Real Christmas Tree. Here’s why.
Real Christmas Trees aren’t taken from forests — they’re grown on farms. In the United States alone, 350 million trees are growing on dedicated Christmas tree farms, planted and cared for by farmers solely for holiday use. The industry supports about 15,000 farms and provides work for over 100,000 people in full- and part-time jobs.
Related: Rent a real Christmas tree
Every year, Americans purchase 25–30 million Real Christmas Trees (according to the National Christmas Tree Association), directly supporting rural economies and preserving open green space, around 350,000 acres of it. Buying real means investing in American agriculture instead of overseas manufacturing.
Unlike artificial trees, which are made of non-biodegradable plastics and can contain metal toxins like lead, real Christmas trees are entirely natural and recyclable. After the holidays, trees can be composted, turned into mulch, used in dune restoration, or donated for wildlife habitat. That’s why more than 4,000 Christmas tree recycling programs operate across the US. If one doesn’t exist, consider opening one as a college project.
Real trees also ensure continuous renewal: for every tree harvested, farmers plant 1 to 3 seedlings the next spring, keeping the cycle alive. They also smell a lot better than plastic.
Most artificial trees, about 80%, according to the US Commerce Department are made in China. Their production and shipping generate significant carbon emissions, and once they are thrown away, they remain in landfills for centuries. While marketed as reusable, studies show an artificial tree must be kept at lea
rs to offset its environmental impact, and most don’t last that long. The plastic lingers probably forever.
By contrast, real Christmas trees actively clean the air as they grow. A single farmed tree can take 7 years on average to reach typical height, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen throughout its life cycle. If you rent a tree, even better.
Real Christmas trees are one of the few agricultural products grown in every US state and across Canada. The top-producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington and these states ship millions of trees nationwide, ensuring that most consumers can purchase a locally sourced product. Christmas tree farms are an actual business.
Buying local reduces transportation emissions and keeps holiday spending circulating within nearby communities.
Christmas tree farms don’t displace forests — they preserve working green space and prevent development. Managed tree fields provide habitat for birds and small mammals, protect soil integrity, and maintain rural ecological balance. In many areas, former agricultural land has been restored through Christmas tree cultivation.
Beyond the environmental and economic arguments, there’s something deeply meaningful about bringing home a real tree. The scent, the feel, the ritual of choosing the perfect one, even if it’s only perfect to you, well these are things an artificial tree simply can’t replicate. A real Christmas tree connects you to nature, to local growers, and to a living cycle that continues long after the decorations come down.
And if you aren’t sold, go for an alternative tree idea. Here are 8 Christmas trees that you can make without cutting down or buying a plastic tree.
